"QUEEN in USA: whistles for Freddie's beard" - Los Angeles 1980 review from German magazine
Dec 13, 2022 9:17:54 GMT
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Post by fabiogminero on Dec 13, 2022 9:17:54 GMT
Hello everybody.
Today I'm posting a very nice article, taken from a 1980 German music magazine, in which one of Queen's shows at the Los Angeles Forum in July 1980 is reviewed.
Today I'm posting a very nice article, taken from a 1980 German music magazine, in which one of Queen's shows at the Los Angeles Forum in July 1980 is reviewed.
Entitled QUEEN in USA: Pfiffe fur Freddies Bart (translated as QUEEN in USA: whistles for Freddie's beard), it is a fairly detailed review of the new American tour that Queen started in the summer of 1980; the article also presents the new songs played on stage ("Dragon Attack" is also mentioned, although it seems unlikely that Queen have actually already included it in the setlist - probably the author of the article meant "Need Your Loving Tonight"). Reference is also made to the seven German dates that the band held between November 25th and December 18th, 1980; Although the reporter indicates that Queen will play seven concerts in Germany, the band actually played in the German cities of Cologne, Essen, Berlin, Bremen, Frankfurt and Munich, bringing the total of German dates to six. Is it possible that initially another concert in Germany was planned but later cancelled?
Another curious fact: Freddie Mercury's new look is presented as a "Hitler Look" because of his mustache; it is indicated that Freddie will shave his mustache before playing in Germany to avoid misunderstandings!
Below the original article in German (with attached some beautiful photographs taken on one of the four nights in Los Angeles) and the English translation. Enjoy the reading!
QUEEN in USA: whistles for Freddie's beard
Queen on their US tour: In November they will come to us for seven shows
Queen on their US tour: In November they will come to us for seven shows
At 42 concerts in America, Queen presented their LP "Play The Game" live for the first time. The tour with a gigantic show was a triumph - only Freddie's beard caused a stir. That's why Freddie will part with his mustache before Queen perform for us in November...
Just before Queen arrived in Los Angeles on their big US tour, they organized a semation: the three planned concerts in the "Forum" (16,000 seats) were sold out so quickly that the organizers added a fourth concert: sold out in four Hours. The reception offered by the otherwise rather critical Americans to the English supergroup was also unusual. At their first show in Los Angeles, Queen were greeted with a standing ovation - the audience rose from their seats and clapped for five minutes before the band had even played a note. And Queen, who came with their gigantic light show from their '79 tour, didn't disappoint. Outstanding light, amazing fog effects and the incredibly loud but perfectly adjusted loudspeaker system formed the basis for Freddie Mercury's eccentric, rousing stage show. "The best show of the season" judged the US magazine "Rolling Stone", which even makes Pink Floyd's monstrous, but much too cold "Wall" show fade!"
Freddie appeared in his already well-known black and red leather suit and roller skate knee pads and surprised the US fans with extremely close-cropped hair and a plentiful, "strange" mustache. When Freddie asked how the fans liked his beard, he got a deafening chant. You could read it in the newspaper the next day. There was talk of a "Hitler look" and speculation arose as to whether Freddie Mercury hadn't copied his massively effective poses from old Nazi party rallies... "The Americans are quite sensitive in this regard," said Freddie in a TV broadcast interview, "but of course it can get worse in Germany. That's why I'm going to shave my mustache before the tour takes us to Germany in November. I really don't want to bring back any memories of Hitler!"
Apart from this one incident, there was only cheering for Queen in the USA. For exactly 100 minutes, Freddie Mercury led his fans through the show singing, dancing, jumping and playing the piano. The new songs like "Play The Game", "Save Me", "Crazy Llittle Thing Called Love" and "Dragon Attack" were brought to the stage true to the original. This time Queen have avoided their old mistake of letting the lighting and stage effects become the most powerful part of the show and eclipsing the music as an extra. In the new Queen show, show and sound formed a balanced harmony. What was new about the visual performance was that in "Bohemian Rhapsody" the seven cranes of light moved towards the band and almost closed them in and that Freddie Mercury this time didn't "ride" on "Superman" but on a "Star Wars" robot. In addition to Freddie, Brian May was the main focus. With his easy-going movements and the coolly served guitar solos, he seemed like a kind of magical guitar guru. His long, backlit mane of hair supported this impression. While bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor stayed in the background as usual, Freddie turned things up so much at the end that he put a sweaty striptease on the stage. In shorts and a tie, Freddie sang the encore, the Queen classic "We Are The Champions". After the completed US tour, Queen start a big European tour after a short break. Here in Germany they will give a total of seven concerts from November 25th to December 18th.